Nui video conference controls

ABSTRACT

A system and method providing gesture controlled video conferencing includes a local capture device detecting movements of a user in a local environment and an audio/visual display. A processor is coupled to the capture device and a remote capture device and a remote processor at a remote environment via a network. The local processor includes instructions to render a representation of the remote environment on the display responsive to the remote processor and remote capture device. The processor also tracks movements of a local user in a space proximate to the local capture device. Responsive to a user gesture detected at the local capture device, the audio or visual signals provided by the remote capture device are altered to change the representation of the remote location is altered locally.

BACKGROUND

In the past, computing applications such as computer games andmultimedia applications have used controllers, remotes, keyboards, mice,or the like to allow users to manipulate game characters or otheraspects of an application. More recently, computer games and multimediaapplications have begun employing cameras and motion recognition toprovide a human computer interface (“HCl”). With HCl, user gestures aredetected, interpreted and used to control aspects of an application.

Video conferencing between processing devices such as computers, mobilephones and game consoles, allow users a more intimated conferencingexperience. However, conferees are generally limited to experiencingthat which is presented by those they are conferring with. A localconferee is presented with the view and sounds based on the settings andpositioning defined by any remote conferees.

SUMMARY

Technology is provided to enable a user experience interaction andnavigation between a local conferee and a remote conferee using gesturebased controls to improve a local user's experience of a remoteconferee. A gesture controlled video conferencing apparatus includes alocal capture device detecting movements of a user in a localenvironment and an audio/visual display. A processor is coupled to thecapture device and a remote capture device and a remote processor at aremote environment via a network. The local processor includesinstructions to render a representation of the remote environment on thedisplay responsive to the remote processor and remote capture device.The processor also tracks movements of a local user in a space proximateto the local capture device. Responsive to a user gesture detected atthe local capture device, the audio or visual signals provided by theremote capture device are altered to change the representation of theremote location is altered locally.

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that are further described below in the DetailedDescription. This Summary is not intended to identify key features oressential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended tobe used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subjectmatter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate one embodiment of a target recognition,analysis and tracking system with a user performing a gesture to controla user-interface.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart describing one embodiment of a process fortracking user motion.

FIG. 4 is an example of a skeletal model of a human target that can begenerated by a tracking system in one embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a representation of a local user participating in anaudio/visual conference with a remote user.

FIG. 6 is a representation of two users participating in a conferencevia a network

FIG. 7A is a flowchart illustrating one method in accordance with thepresent technology.

FIG. 7B is a flowchart illustrating another method in accordance withthe present technology.

FIGS. 8-10 are representations of a user in a video conference usinggestures to control audio at a remote location to change arepresentation at the local display.

FIG. 11-12 are representations of a user in a video conference usinggestures to control video at a remote location to change arepresentation at the local display.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram of a first processing device

FIG. 14 is a block diagram of a second processing device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Technology is provided to enable a user experience interaction andnavigation between users participating in an audio/visualteleconference. The technology enables a local user to adjust the localuser's audio visual experience through gesture controls which implementchanges in a remote user's processing device. Gesture controlled videoconferencing utilizes a local capture device detecting movements of alocal user in a local environment and an audio/visual display. The localuser may be in an audio/visual conference with a remote user via anetwork. A representation of the remote environment with the remote useris provided on a local display and responsive to movements of a localuser in a space proximate to the local capture device, user gestures canalter audio or visual signals provided by the remote capture device tochange the representation of the remote location on the local display.Audio and visual control gestures are provided.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate one embodiment of a target recognition,analysis and tracking system 10 (generally referred to as a trackingsystem hereinafter) with a user 18 interacting with a systemuser-interface 310. The target recognition, analysis and tracking system10 may be used to recognize, analyze, and/or track a human target suchas the user 18, and provide a human controlled interface.

As shown in FIG. 1, the tracking system 10 may include a computingenvironment 12. The computing environment 12 may be a computer, a gamingsystem or console, or the like. According to one embodiment, thecomputing environment 12 may include hardware components and/or softwarecomponents such that the computing environment 12 may be used to executean operating system and applications such as gaming applications,non-gaming applications, or the like. In one embodiment, computingsystem 12 may include a processor such as a standardized processor, aspecialized processor, a microprocessor, or the like that may executeinstructions stored on a processor readable storage device forperforming the processes described herein.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the tracking system 10 may further include acapture device 20. The capture device 20 may be, for example, a camerathat may be used to visually monitor one or more users, such as the user18, such that gestures performed by the one or more users may becaptured, analyzed, and tracked to perform one or more controls oractions for the user-interface of an operating system or application.

The capture device may be positioned on a three-axis positioning motorallowing the capture device to move relative to a base element on whichit is mounted.

According to one embodiment, the tracking system 10 may be connected toan audiovisual device 16 such as a television, a monitor, ahigh-definition television (HDTV), or the like that may provide game orapplication visuals and/or audio to a user such as the user 18. Forexample, the computing environment 12 may include a video adapter suchas a graphics card and/or an audio adapter such as a sound card that mayprovide audiovisual signals associated with the game application,non-game application, or the like. The audiovisual device 16 may receivethe audiovisual signals from the computing environment 12 and may outputthe game or application visuals and/or audio associated with theaudiovisual signals to the user 18. According to one embodiment, theaudiovisual device 16 may be connected to the computing environment 12via, for example, an S-Video cable, a coaxial cable, an HDMI cable, aDVI cable, a VGA cable, or the like.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the target recognition, analysis and trackingsystem 10 may be used to recognize, analyze, and/or track one or morehuman targets such as the user 18. For example, the user 18 may betracked using the capture device 20 such that the movements of user 18may be interpreted as controls that may be used to affect an applicationor operating system being executed by computer environment 12.

Some movements may be interpreted as controls that may correspond toactions other than controlling a player avatar or other gaming object.Virtually any controllable aspect of an operating system and/orapplication may be controlled by movements of the target such as theuser 18. The player may use movements to select a game or otherapplication from a main user interface. A full range of motion of theuser 18 may be available, used, and analyzed in any suitable manner tointeract with an application or operating system.

In FIGS. 1-2 user 18 is interacting with the tracking system 10 tocontrol the system user-interface (UI) 23, which in this particularexample is displaying a list of menu items 320-330 in the interface 310.The individual items may represent applications or other UI objects. Auser may scroll left or right (as seen from the user's point of view)through the list 310 to view other menu items not in the current displaybut also associated with the list, select menu items to trigger anaction such as opening an application represented by the menu item orfurther UI controls for that item. The user may also move backwardsthrough the UI to a higher level menu item in the UI hierarchy.

The system may include gesture recognition, so that a user may controlan application or operating system executing on the computingenvironment 12, which as discussed above may be a game console, acomputer, or the like, by performing one or more gestures. In oneembodiment, a gesture recognizer engine, the architecture of which isdescribed more fully below, is used to determine from a skeletal modelof a user when a particular gesture has been made by the user.

Generally, as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a user 18 is confined to aphysical space 100 when using a capture device 20. The physicallylimited space 100 is generally the best performing range of the capturedevice 20.

In FIGS. 1-2, the user performs a right-handed gesture to scroll thelist of menu items to the left as seen from the user's point of view.The user begins with his right hand in position 304 as shown in FIG. 1,then moves it to position 306 toward the left side of his body. The list310 of menu items 320-328 is in a first position in FIG. 1 when the userbegins the gesture with his hand at position 304. In FIG. 2, the userhas moved his hand to position 306, causing the list of menu items tochange by scrolling the list 310 of menu items to the left. Menu item320 has been removed from the list as a result of scrolling to the left(as defined in user's 18 point of view). Each of items 322-328 has movedone place to the left, replacing the position of the immediatelypreceding item. Item 330 has been added to the list, as a result ofscrolling from the right to the left.

FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of a capture device 20 and computingsystem 12 that may be used in the target recognition, analysis andtracking system 10 to recognize human and non-human targets in a capturearea of limited space 100 (without special sensing devices attached tothe subjects), uniquely identify them and track them in threedimensional space. According to one embodiment, the capture device 20may be configured to capture video with depth information including adepth image that may include depth values via any suitable techniqueincluding, for example, time-of-flight, structured light, stereo image,or the like. According to one embodiment, the capture device 20 mayorganize the calculated depth information into “Z layers,” or layersthat may be perpendicular to a Z-axis extending from the depth cameraalong its line of sight.

As shown in FIG. 2, the capture device 20 may include an image cameracomponent 32. According to one embodiment, the image camera component 32may be a depth camera that may capture a depth image of a scene. Thedepth image may include a two-dimensional (2-D) pixel area of thecaptured scene where each pixel in the 2-D pixel area may represent adepth value such as a distance in, for example, centimeters,millimeters, or the like of an object in the captured scene from thecamera.

As shown in FIG. 2, the image camera component 32 may include an IRlight component 34, a three-dimensional (3-D) camera 36, and an RGBcamera 38 that may be used to capture the depth image of a capture area.For example, in time-of-flight analysis, the IR light component 34 ofthe capture device 20 may emit an infrared light onto the capture areaand may then use sensors to detect the backscattered light from thesurface of one or more targets and objects in the capture area using,for example, the 3-D camera 36 and/or the RGB camera 38. In someembodiments, pulsed infrared light may be used such that the timebetween an outgoing light pulse and a corresponding incoming light pulsemay be measured and used to determine a physical distance from thecapture device 20 to a particular location on the targets or objects inthe capture area. Additionally, the phase of the outgoing light wave maybe compared to the phase of the incoming light wave to determine a phaseshift. The phase shift may then be used to determine a physical distancefrom the capture device to a particular location on the targets orobjects.

According to one embodiment, time-of-flight analysis may be used toindirectly determine a physical distance from the capture device 20 to aparticular location on the targets or objects by analyzing the intensityof the reflected beam of light over time via various techniquesincluding, for example, shuttered light pulse imaging.

In another example, the capture device 20 may use structured light tocapture depth information. In such an analysis, patterned light (i.e.,light displayed as a known pattern such as grid pattern or a stripepattern) may be projected onto the capture area via, for example, the IRlight component 34. Upon striking the surface of one or more targets orobjects in the capture area, the pattern may become deformed inresponse. Such a deformation of the pattern may be captured by, forexample, the 3-D camera 36 and/or the RGB camera 38 and may then beanalyzed to determine a physical distance from the capture device to aparticular location on the targets or objects.

According to one embodiment, the capture device 20 may include two ormore physically separated cameras that may view a capture area fromdifferent angles, to obtain visual stereo data that may be resolved togenerate depth information. Other types of depth image sensors can alsobe used to create a depth image.

The capture device 20 may further include a microphone 40. Themicrophone 40 may include a transducer or sensor that may receive andconvert sound into an electrical signal. According to one embodiment,the microphone 40 may be used to reduce feedback between the capturedevice 20 and the computing environment 12 in the target recognition,analysis and tracking system 10. Additionally, the microphone 40 may beused to receive audio signals that may also be provided by the user tocontrol applications such as game applications, non-game applications,or the like that may be executed by the computing environment 12.

In one embodiment the microphone 40 comprises array of microphone withmultiple elements, for example four elements. The multiple elements ofthe microphone can be used in conjunction with beam forming techniquesto achieve spatial selectivity

In one embodiment, the capture device 20 may further include a processor42 that may be in operative communication with the image cameracomponent 32. The processor 42 may include a standardized processor, aspecialized processor, a microprocessor, or the like that may executeinstructions that may include instructions for storing profiles,receiving the depth image, determining whether a suitable target may beincluded in the depth image, converting the suitable target into askeletal representation or model of the target, or any other suitableinstruction.

Processor 42 may include an imaging signal processor capable ofadjusting color, brightness, hue, sharpening, and other elements of thecaptured digital image.

The capture device 20 may further include a memory component 44 that maystore the instructions that may be executed by the processor 42, imagesor frames of images captured by the 3-D camera or RGB camera, userprofiles or any other suitable information, images, or the like.According to one example, the memory component 44 may include randomaccess memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), cache, Flash memory, a harddisk, or any other suitable storage component. As shown in FIG. 2, thememory component 44 may be a separate component in communication withthe image capture component 32 and the processor 42. In anotherembodiment, the memory component 44 may be integrated into the processor42 and/or the image capture component 32. In one embodiment, some or allof the components 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42 and 44 of the capture device 20illustrated in FIG. 2 are housed in a single housing.

The capture device 20 may be in communication with the computingenvironment 12 via a communication link 46. The communication link 46may be a wired connection including, for example, a USB connection, aFirewire connection, an Ethernet cable connection, or the like and/or awireless connection such as a wireless 802.11b, g, a, or n connection.The computing environment 12 may provide a clock to the capture device20 that may be used to determine when to capture, for example, a scenevia the communication link 46.

The capture device 20 may provide the depth information and imagescaptured by, for example, the 3-D camera 36 and/or the RGB camera 38,including a skeletal model that may be generated by the capture device20, to the computing environment 12 via the communication link 46. Thecomputing environment 12 may then use the skeletal model, depthinformation, and captured images to, for example, create a virtualscreen, adapt the user interface and control an application such as agame or word processor.

A motion tracking system 191 uses the skeletal model and the depthinformation to provide a control output to an application on aprocessing device to which the capture device 20 is coupled. The depthinformation may likewise be used by a gestures library 192, structuredata 198, gesture recognition engine 190, depth image processing andobject reporting module 194 and operating system 196. Depth imageprocessing and object reporting module 194 uses the depth images totrack motion of objects, such as the user and other objects. The depthimage processing and object reporting module 194 will report tooperating system 196 an identification of each object detected and thelocation of the object for each frame. Operating system 196 will usethat information to update the position or movement of an avatar orother images in the display or to perform an action on the provideduser-interface. To assist in the tracking of the objects, depth imageprocessing and object reporting module 194 uses gestures library 192,structure data 198 and gesture recognition engine 190.

Structure data 198 includes structural information about objects thatmay be tracked. For example, a skeletal model of a human may be storedto help understand movements of the user and recognize body parts.Structural information about inanimate objects may also be stored tohelp recognize those objects and help understand movement.

Gestures library 192 may include a collection of gesture filters, eachcomprising information concerning a gesture that may be performed by theskeletal model (as the user moves). A gesture recognition engine 190 maycompare the data captured by the cameras 36, 38 and device 20 in theform of the skeletal model and movements associated with it to thegesture filters in the gesture library 192 to identify when a user (asrepresented by the skeletal model) has performed one or more gestures.Those gestures may be associated with various controls of anapplication. Thus, the computing system 12 may use the gestures library192 to interpret movements of the skeletal model and to controloperating system 196 or an application (not shown) based on themovements.

More information about recognizer engine 190 can be found in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/422,661, “Gesture Recognizer SystemArchitecture,” filed on Apr. 13, 2009, incorporated herein by referencein its entirety. More information about recognizing gestures can befound in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/391,150, “StandardGestures,” filed on Feb. 23, 2009; and U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/474,655, “Gesture Tool” filed on May 29, 2009, both of which areincorporated by reference herein in their entirety. More informationabout motion detection and tracking can be found in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/641,788, “Motion Detection Using Depth Images,”filed on Dec. 18, 2009; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/475,308,“Device for Identifying and Tracking Multiple Humans over Time,” both ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

A communication application 300 may operate on the computing system 12to allow users to communicate via capture devices and communicationsystems which communicate with each other over a network 50 (illustratedand discussed below with respect to FIG. 8). Communication application300 may be any commercially available communication application, instantmessenger application, or audio/visual conferencing application. Oneexample of one such application is Skype® by Skype Communication SARL.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart describing one embodiment of a process for gesturecontrol of a user interface as can be performed by tracking system 10 inone embodiment. At step 402, processor 42 of the capture device 20receives a visual image and depth image from the image capture component32. In other examples, only a depth image is received at step 402. Thedepth image and visual image can be captured by any of the sensors inimage capture component 32 or other suitable sensors as are known in theart. In one embodiment the depth image is captured separately from thevisual image. In some implementations the depth image and visual imageare captured at the same time while in others they are capturedsequentially or at different times. In other embodiments the depth imageis captured with the visual image or combined with the visual image asone image file so that each pixel has an R value, a G value, a B valueand a Z value (representing distance).

At step 404 depth information corresponding to the visual image anddepth image are determined. The visual image and depth image received atstep 402 can be analyzed to determine depth values for one or moretargets within the image. Capture device 20 may capture or observe acapture area that may include one or more targets. At step 406, thecapture device determines whether the depth image includes a humantarget. In one example, each target in the depth image may be floodfilled and compared to a pattern to determine whether the depth imageincludes a human target. In one example, the edges of each target in thecaptured scene of the depth image may be determined. The depth image mayinclude a two dimensional pixel area of the captured scene for whicheach pixel in the 2D pixel area may represent a depth value such as alength or distance for example as can be measured from the camera. Theedges may be determined by comparing various depth values associatedwith for example adjacent or nearby pixels of the depth image. If thevarious depth values being compared are greater than a pre-determinededge tolerance, the pixels may define an edge. The capture device mayorganize the calculated depth information including the depth image intoZ layers or layers that may be perpendicular to a Z-axis extending fromthe camera along its line of sight to the viewer. The likely Z values ofthe Z layers may be flood filled based on the determined edges. Forinstance, the pixels associated with the determined edges and the pixelsof the area within the determined edges may be associated with eachother to define a target or a physical object in the capture area.

At step 408, the capture device scans the human target for one or morebody parts. The human target can be scanned to provide measurements suchas length, width or the like that are associated with one or more bodyparts of a user, such that an accurate model of the user may begenerated based on these measurements. In one example, the human targetis isolated and a bit mask is created to scan for the one or more bodyparts. The bit mask may be created for example by flood filling thehuman target such that the human target is separated from other targetsor objects in the capture area elements. At step 410 a model of thehuman target is generated based on the scan performed at step 408. Thebit mask may be analyzed for the one or more body parts to generate amodel such as a skeletal model, a mesh human model or the like of thehuman target. For example, measurement values determined by the scannedbit mask may be used to define one or more joints in the skeletal model.The bitmask may include values of the human target along an X, Y andZ-axis. The one or more joints may be used to define one or more bonesthat may correspond to a body part of the human.

According to one embodiment, to determine the location of the neck,shoulders, or the like of the human target, a width of the bitmask, forexample, at a position being scanned, may be compared to a thresholdvalue of a typical width associated with, for example, a neck,shoulders, or the like. In an alternative embodiment, the distance froma previous position scanned and associated with a body part in a bitmaskmay be used to determine the location of the neck, shoulders or thelike.

In one embodiment, to determine the location of the shoulders, the widthof the bitmask at the shoulder position may be compared to a thresholdshoulder value. For example, a distance between the two outer most Yvalues at the X value of the bitmask at the shoulder position may becompared to the threshold shoulder value of a typical distance between,for example, shoulders of a human. Thus, according to an exampleembodiment, the threshold shoulder value may be a typical width or rangeof widths associated with shoulders of a body model of a human.

In another embodiment, to determine the location of the shoulders, thebitmask may be parsed downward a certain distance from the head. Forexample, the top of the bitmask that may be associated with the top ofthe head may have an X value associated therewith. A stored valueassociated with the typical distance from the top of the head to the topof the shoulders of a human body may then added to the X value of thetop of the head to determine the X value of the shoulders. Thus, in oneembodiment, a stored value may be added to the X value associated withthe top of the head to determine the X value associated with theshoulders.

In one embodiment, some body parts such as legs, feet, or the like maybe calculated based on, for example, the location of other body parts.For example, as described above, the information such as the bits,pixels, or the like associated with the human target may be scanned todetermine the locations of various body parts of the human target. Basedon such locations, subsequent body parts such as legs, feet, or the likemay then be calculated for the human target.

According to one embodiment, upon determining the values of, forexample, a body part, a data structure may be created that may includemeasurement values such as length, width, or the like of the body partassociated with the scan of the bitmask of the human target. In oneembodiment, the data structure may include scan results averaged from aplurality depth images. For example, the capture device may capture acapture area in frames, each including a depth image. The depth image ofeach frame may be analyzed to determine whether a human target may beincluded as described above. If the depth image of a frame includes ahuman target, a bitmask of the human target of the depth imageassociated with the frame may be scanned for one or more body parts. Thedetermined value of a body part for each frame may then be averaged suchthat the data structure may include average measurement values such aslength, width, or the like of the body part associated with the scans ofeach frame. In one embodiment, the measurement values of the determinedbody parts may be adjusted such as scaled up, scaled down, or the likesuch that measurement values in the data structure more closelycorrespond to a typical model of a human body. Measurement valuesdetermined by the scanned bitmask may be used to define one or morejoints in a skeletal model at step 410.

At step 412, motion is captured from the depth images and visual imagesreceived from the capture device. In one embodiment capturing motion atstep 414 includes generating a motion capture file based on the skeletalmapping as will be described in more detail hereinafter. At 414, themodel created in step 410 is tracked using skeletal mapping and to trackuser motion at 416. For example, the skeletal model of the user 18 maybe adjusted and updated as the user moves in physical space in front ofthe camera within the field of view. Information from the capture devicemay be used to adjust the model so that the skeletal model accuratelyrepresents the user. In one example this is accomplished by one or moreforces applied to one or more force receiving aspects of the skeletalmodel to adjust the skeletal model into a pose that more closelycorresponds to the pose of the human target and physical space.

At step 416 user motion is tracked. At step 418 motion data is providedto an application, such as a navigation system as described herein. Suchmotion data may further be evaluated to determine whether a user isperforming a pre-defined gesture. Step 418 can be performed based on theUI context or contexts determined in step 416. For example, a first setof gestures may be active when operating in a menu context while adifferent set of gestures may be active while operating in a game playcontext. Step 418 can also include determining an active set ofgestures. At step 420 gesture recognition and control is performed. Thetracking model and captured motion are passed through the filters forthe active gesture set to determine whether any active gesture filtersare satisfied. Any detected gestures are applied within the computingenvironment to control the user interface provided by computingenvironment 12. Step 420 can further include determining whether anygestures are present and if so, modifying the user-interface action thatis performed in response to gesture detection.

In one embodiment, steps 416-420 are performed by computing device 12.Furthermore, although steps 402-414 are described as being performed bycapture device 20, various ones of these steps may be performed by othercomponents, such as by computing environment 12. For example, thecapture device 20 may provide the visual and/or depth images to thecomputing environment 12 which will in turn, determine depthinformation, detect the human target, scan the target, generate andtrack the model and capture motion of the human target.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a skeletal model or mapping 530representing a scanned human target that may be generated at step 410 ofFIG. 3. According to one embodiment, the skeletal model 530 may includeone or more data structures that may represent a human target as athree-dimensional model. Each body part may be characterized as amathematical vector defining joints and bones of the skeletal model 530.

Skeletal model 530 includes joints n1-n18. Each of the joints n1-n18 mayenable one or more body parts defined there between to move relative toone or more other body parts. A model representing a human target mayinclude a plurality of rigid and/or deformable body parts that may bedefined by one or more structural members such as “bones” with thejoints n1-n18 located at the intersection of adjacent bones. The jointsn1-n18 may enable various body parts associated with the bones andjoints n1-n18 to move independently of each other or relative to eachother. For example, the bone defined between the joints n7 and n11corresponds to a forearm that may be moved independent of, for example,the bone defined between joints n15 and n17 that corresponds to a calf.It is to be understood that some bones may correspond to anatomicalbones in a human target and/or some bones may not have correspondinganatomical bones in the human target.

The bones and joints may collectively make up a skeletal model, whichmay be a constituent element of the model. An axial roll angle may beused to define a rotational orientation of a limb relative to its parentlimb and/or the torso. For example, if a skeletal model is illustratingan axial rotation of an arm, a roll joint may be used to indicate thedirection the associated wrist is pointing (e.g., palm facing up). Byexamining an orientation of a limb relative to its parent limb and/orthe torso, an axial roll angle may be determined. For example, ifexamining a lower leg, the orientation of the lower leg relative to theassociated upper leg and hips may be examined in order to determine anaxial roll angle.

FIG. 5 is a depiction of an audiovisual conference between a local user18 and a remote user 518. With reference to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, a remoteuser 518 is present at a remote location 902 and may have, at thelocation, a system 10A equivalent to system 10 with a remote capturedevice such as capture device 20 a and remote display (not shown) suchas display 16, and a remote processing device 12 a equivalent toprocessing device 12. It should be understood that the local and remotesystems 10,10 a need not be identical, but merely functionallyequivalent. In one embodiment, moreover, only one system need include acapture device or utilize gesture controls. Through the user of thecapture device and processing devices, each user sees a projection ofthe other user on their respective display. In FIG. 5, user 18 sees andinteracts with a projection of user 518 on display 16.

In one alternative, both local user 18 and remote user 518 can makegestures, sounds, and otherwise operate respective local system 10 andremote system 10 a in a similar manner 18. User 18 can make communicateby speaking, gesturing and moving, all of which are captured andtransmitted by local capture device 20 and to the remote location 902and displayed to user 518 at the remote location. As illustrated in FIG.6, local computing system 12 is coupled to a remote computing system 12via network 50. Each capture device 20 may be coupled to thecommunication application 300, described above and computing system 12includes an application programming interface (API) 750 which may beaccessed by the communication application to control aspects of thecomputing system or the capture device in a manner defined by both theapplication and the application programming interface.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, when users participate in an audio/visualconference, there may be background audio or visual noise which iscaptured by each capture device. This noise can be distracting to theconference. This background information can take many forms, includingbackground audio noise, and background visual noise. In addition, otherremote users or objects may be present which may or may not be ofinterest to user 18. Similarly, there may be instances in the conferencewhen it is desirable to focus or enhance the audio or video in aparticular area of a remote location.

In accordance with the present technology, a local user 18 can usegesture controls to manipulate presentation of the remote location onlocal display 16, allowing the local user a natural degree of control ofthe audiovisual conference using gesture based controls.

FIG. 7A is a method illustrating one aspect of the present technology.The left side of FIG. 7A illustrates portions of the process occurringat the local system, while the right side of the flowchart illustratessteps occurring at the remote system. It should be understood that thelocal system and the remote system are interchangeable in accordancewith the present technology. At 702, a conference is established betweena remote user and a local user. That is, both the local and remotesystem can operate steps 702 through 714. At 704, the local system willdetect whether a local gesture is directed to control an aspect ofremote processing. As illustrated below, the gesture can control audioprocessing, visual processing, or both. If a gesture is detected, acontrol signal may be created for transmission to the remote processingsystem, with the control signal designed to manipulate the audio orvisual processing at the remote location. At 706, a determination ismade by the remote system as to whether or not control by others isallowed. If not, no action is taken. If control is allowed, then adetermination is made at step 710 whether the communications applicationexecuting on the remote processing system allow or support the controlinput requested. Again, if this not supported, no action is performed.If the control is supported and allowed, then the control input isapplied at 712 and processing at the remote location is altered inaccordance with the instructions in control input from the local system.At 712, the output of the remote system is returned to the local systemwhere it is rendered in the local display. When the signal is returnedto the local location, the process input from the remote user at 708 isaltered in the local display.

FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective of a local user participating in anaudio/visual conference with a remote user 518. In FIG. 7, a gesture isutilized by a local user 18 relative to the display of a remote user 518to control aspects of the audio/visual conference. At the remotelocation 902, a first user 518 and a second user 930 are both present.In this example, consider that the local user 18 is interested only ininteracting with the remote user 518, and remote user 930 is adistraction.

With reference to FIG. 7B and FIGS. 8-10, gesture based user interactionwith a local system during an audio/visual conference with a remote useris illustrated. FIG. 7B is a flow chart of detection of a local gestureand interaction with the video conferencing technology. FIG. 7B maycomprise one representation of one embodiment of step 704 in FIG. 7A.

In FIG. 8, a local user initiate a gesture by, for example, raising thearm as indicated at 304 which will, in turn, generate a user interfaceto allow for control of the representation of the remote location 902 onthe display 16. In this case, as illustrated in FIG. 8, user interfaceincludes a selector 910 (a hand icon) which tracks the motion of thehand of user 18 when the hand is moved relative to the display 16, andwhen positioned over region 940 and, for example, held steady, could beused to select region 940 by the local user. The region 940 is merelyillustrative, and selection may be of a larger or smaller region, or maybe of the remote user 930 as a region. Once a region is selected, theact of selecting the region may have a default action associated withit—for example, mute audio in this region—or one or more additionalgestures and/or user interaction elements can be used to achieveprocessing desired by user 18. Illustrated in FIG. 9 is an alternativevolume slider which may appear once region 940 is selected and allow thelocal user to adjust the audio output of user 930. The volume slidermay, for example, allow the user to reduce the volume coming from thisregion. It should be recognized that nay number of simple or advancedaudio or visual controls may be utilized in this embodiment.

With reference to FIG. 7B, when a user 18 performs a gesture, at step722, a determination is made that a control gesture has been initiatedby a user. At step 724, a user interface may be presented. Userinterface may be very basic or may be more complex as illustrated in thebelow figures. As noted above, in some embodiments, the user interfacemay be as basic as indicating where on the display a selection is beingmade. A basic user interface allows a selection icon such as theselector 910 illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9 to be presented on a display16. This gives the user an idea of the relative position of the user'shand motion being made. At step 726, a selection of a particular area ofthe display is received. The area may be the selection of a specificuser, or a region on the screen. Selection may occur by holding a user'shand steady over an area, or by using another selection specificgesture. Selection may likewise be made of a region having somerelationship to objects detected in the remote location. For example,the remote system may have determined and indicated that the user 930 isa human and can be selected as an object itself.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 8, a region 940 is selected based ona determination that an audio source or user 940 is present within thisregion. In FIG. 8, the user has selected the region 940 and, forexample, held his hand in place as illustrated in FIG. 9 At step 728, adetermination is made as to whether or not a user has made a gesturewhich indicates an audio control is desired. An audio control may berepresented by any number of gestures, including a user's hand up flat,wiping the hand across a selected region, or any of a number of othertypes of gestures. If an audio control is selected, a determination ismade as to whether or not additional user interface controls should bepresented to the user at step 730. Additional user interface controlsmay be, for example, the volume slider 950 such as that illustrated inFIGS. 9 and 10. Options may be provided to the user to allow the user toselect additional interface controls. In FIGS. 9 and 10, an audio slider950 is presented just below region 940 to allow user 18 to change theaudio output being received from this particular area of the display inthe remote location. A user may “grasp” the slider or push the sliderusing a gesture to control the hand icon, which has changed shape asillustrated in FIG. 10

Returning to FIG. 7B, at step 732, if additional controls are required,they are displayed to allow the user to provide control inputs. Aftercontrol inputs are received at step 732, or if no additional userinterface controls were required at 730, then an audio control signalbased on the input from the local user is compiled at 734. If no audiocontrol signal is necessary or in addition to the compilation of theaudio control portion of the signal at 734, then at 740 a determinationis made as to whether a video control gesture has been made. If no videocontrol gesture has been made, then at 750, an output is made of theaudio only portion of the control signal. If a video control gesture hasbeen made at 740, then at 742, a determination is made as to whetheradditional video controls are required.

FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate user selection and control of video at aremote location. In FIG. 11, the remote location 902 has a window 1118which is exceedingly bright (1118) and backlights the remote user 518.This can make viewing user 518 uncomfortable for user 18. By motioningat 304 and holding icon 110 window 1118, the user may attempting reducethe brightness of a backlit user at a remote location 902. Asillustrated in FIG. 12, selecting the window region 1118 in FIG. 11allows the user to reduce the brightness when an additional videocontrol 1250 is displayed in, for example, an area under window 1118.

Returning to FIG. 7B, once a video control gesture is determined at 740,the determination is made at 742 as to whether or not additional videointerface controls are desired at 742. If the additional video controlsare required at 742, then additional controls are displayed at 744 andadditional control inputs for the video portion of the control arereceived at 744. At 746, the control video signal is compiled based onthe input. If both audio and visual signals have been acquired, then at750, a composite control signal is output to the remote device. Asillustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12, the gesture which controls the screenoutput available to the user for video control may be similar to thatillustrated above with respect to audio controls. It should beunderstood that any number of different types of gestures may beprovided. It should also be understood that any different types ofcontrols may be utilized to alter the video signal being transmittedfrom the remote location to the local location. Dials, sliders, abstractgestures or gestures mimicking interactions with the representation ofthe remote location on the display may all be user.

As noted above, at steps 706 and 710, permissions may be set by the useror, for example, control application 300 to determine whether controlrequests received from a remote user are allowed to alter localprocessing for the remote user.

In accordance with the present technology, the control signal alters theprocessing output by the process 42, memory 44 and competing system 12at the remote location. This minimizes the amount of information whichis transmitted from the remote location to the local location to berendered on device 16. Because processing takes place at the remotelocation, and because the actions of the user at the local location aregesture based, a natural user interface is provided which allows animproved video conferencing solution using natural user interfacecontrols. It should be further understood that the type of controlswhich may be provided by the audio system include enhancing the audioinput from a particular region of the remote location using thedirectional array microphone, blocking sounds from a particular area,or, more complicated digital signal processing techniques to enhance thesound coming from particular regions or block sounds coming fromparticular regions of the remote display. It should be furtherunderstood that although only one particular region is illustrated inthe figures, multiple regions of the remote display can be controlled.In addition, it should be understood that for video processing, anynumber of different types of video processing can occur including, forexample, adjusting the pan, tilt, zoom, game, resolution, frame rate, orother video controls.

Still further, although basic controls are illustrated in the figures,more advanced controls can be provided.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a computing system thatcan be used to implement a hub computing system 12 like that of FIG. 1.In this embodiment, the computing system is a multimedia console 800,such as a gaming console. As shown in FIG. 13, the multimedia console800 has a central processing unit (CPU) 801, and a memory controller 802that facilitates processor access to various types of memory, includinga flash Read Only Memory (ROM) 803, a Random Access Memory (RAM) 806, ahard disk drive 808, and portable media drive 806. In oneimplementation, CPU 801 includes a level 1 cache 810 and a level 2 cache812, to temporarily store data and hence reduce the number of memoryaccess cycles made to the hard drive 808, thereby improving processingspeed and throughput.

CPU 801, memory controller 802, and various memory devices areinterconnected via one or more buses (not shown). The details of the busthat is used in this implementation are not particularly relevant tounderstanding the subject matter of interest being discussed herein.However, it will be understood that such a bus might include one or moreof serial and parallel buses, a memory bus, a peripheral bus, and aprocessor or local bus, using any of a variety of bus architectures. Byway of example, such architectures can include an Industry StandardArchitecture (ISA) bus, a Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, anEnhanced ISA (EISA) bus, a Video Electronics Standards Association(VESA) local bus, and a Peripheral Component Interconnects (PCI) busalso known as a Mezzanine bus.

In one implementation, CPU 801, memory controller 802, ROM 803, and RAM806 are integrated onto a common module 814. In this implementation, ROM803 is configured as a flash ROM that is connected to memory controller802 via a PCI bus and a ROM bus (neither of which are shown). RAM 806 isconfigured as multiple Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic RAM (DDRSDRAM) modules that are independently controlled by memory controller802 via separate buses (not shown). Hard disk drive 808 and portablemedia drive 805 are shown connected to the memory controller 802 via thePCI bus and an AT Attachment (ATA) bus 816. However, in otherimplementations, dedicated data bus structures of different types canalso be applied in the alternative.

A graphics processing unit 820 and a video encoder 822 form a videoprocessing pipeline for high speed and high resolution (e.g., HighDefinition) graphics processing. Data are carried from graphicsprocessing unit (GPU) 820 to video encoder 822 via a digital video bus(not shown). Lightweight messages generated by the system applications(e.g., pop ups) are displayed by using a GPU 820 interrupt to schedulecode to render popup into an overlay. The amount of memory used for anoverlay depends on the overlay area size and the overlay preferablyscales with screen resolution. Where a full user interface is used bythe concurrent system application, it is preferable to use a resolutionindependent of application resolution. A scaler may be used to set thisresolution such that the need to change frequency and cause a TV resyncis eliminated.

An audio processing unit 824 and an audio codec (coder/decoder) 826 forma corresponding audio processing pipeline for multi-channel audioprocessing of various digital audio formats. Audio data are carriedbetween audio processing unit 824 and audio codec 826 via acommunication link (not shown). The video and audio processing pipelinesoutput data to an A/V (audio/video) port 828 for transmission to atelevision or other display. In the illustrated implementation, videoand audio processing components 820-828 are mounted on module 214.

FIG. 13 shows module 814 including a USB host controller 830 and anetwork interface 832. USB host controller 830 is shown in communicationwith CPU 801 and memory controller 802 via a bus (e.g., PCI bus) andserves as host for peripheral controllers 804(1)-804(4). Networkinterface 832 provides access to a network (e.g., Internet, homenetwork, etc.) and may be any of a wide variety of various wire orwireless interface components including an Ethernet card, a modem, awireless access card, a Bluetooth module, a cable modem, and the like.

In the implementation depicted in FIG. 21 console 800 includes acontroller support subassembly 840 for supporting four controllers804(1)-804(4). The controller support subassembly 840 includes anyhardware and software components needed to support wired and wirelessoperation with an external control device, such as for example, a mediaand game controller. A front panel I/O subassembly 842 supports themultiple functionalities of power button 812, the eject button 813, aswell as any LEDs (light emitting diodes) or other indicators exposed onthe outer surface of console 802. Subassemblies 840 and 842 are incommunication with module 814 via one or more cable assemblies 844. Inother implementations, console 800 can include additional controllersubassemblies. The illustrated implementation also shows an optical I/Ointerface 835 that is configured to send and receive signals that can becommunicated to module 814.

MUs 840(1) and 840(2) are illustrated as being connectable to MU ports“A” 830(1) and “B” 830(2) respectively. Additional MUs (e.g., MUs840(3)-840(6)) are illustrated as being connectable to controllers804(1) and 804(3), i.e., two MUs for each controller. Controllers 804(2)and 804(4) can also be configured to receive MUs (not shown). Each MU840 offers additional storage on which games, game parameters, and otherdata may be stored. In some implementations, the other data can includeany of a digital game component, an executable gaming application, aninstruction set for expanding a gaming application, and a media file.When inserted into console 800 or a controller, MU 840 can be accessedby memory controller 802. A system power supply module 850 providespower to the components of gaming console 800. A fan 852 cools thecircuitry within console 800. A microcontroller unit 854 is alsoprovided.

An application 860 comprising machine instructions is stored on harddisk drive 808. When console 800 is powered on, various portions ofapplication 860 are loaded into RAM 806, and/or caches 810 and 812, forexecution on CPU 801, wherein application 860 is one such example.Various applications can be stored on hard disk drive 808 for executionon CPU 801.

Gaming and media console 800 may be operated as a standalone system bysimply connecting the system to monitor 16 (FIG. 1A), a television, avideo projector, or other display device. In this standalone mode,gaming and media console 800 enables one or more players to play games,or enjoy digital media, e.g., by watching movies, or listening to music.However, with the integration of broadband connectivity made availablethrough network interface 832, gaming and media console 800 may furtherbe operated as a participant in a larger network gaming community.

The system described above can be used to add virtual images to a user'sview such that the virtual images are mixed with real images that theuser see. In one example, the virtual images are added in a manner suchthat they appear to be part of the original scene. Examples of addingthe virtual images can be found U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/112,919, “Event Augmentation With Real-Time Information,” filed onMay 20, 2011; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/905,952, “FusingVirtual Content Into Real Content,” filed on Oct. 15, 2010; bothapplications are incorporated herein

FIG. 14 illustrates another example embodiment of a computing system1420 that may be the computing system 112 shown in FIGS. 1A-2B used totrack motion and/or animate (or otherwise update) an avatar or otheron-screen object displayed by an application. The computing system 1420is only one example of a suitable computing system and is not intendedto suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of thepresently disclosed subject matter. Neither should the computing system1420 be interpreted as having any dependency or requirement relating toany one or combination of components illustrated in the exemplaryoperating system 1420. In some embodiments the various depictedcomputing elements may include circuitry configured to instantiatespecific aspects of the present disclosure. For example, the termcircuitry used in the disclosure can include specialized hardwarecomponents configured to perform function(s) by firmware or switches. Inother examples embodiments the term circuitry can include a generalpurpose processing unit, memory, etc., configured by softwareinstructions that embody logic operable to perform function(s). Inexample embodiments where circuitry includes a combination of hardwareand software, an implementer may write source code embodying logic andthe source code can be compiled into machine readable code that can beprocessed by the general purpose processing unit. Since one skilled inthe art can appreciate that the state of the art has evolved to a pointwhere there is little difference between hardware, software, or acombination of hardware/software, the selection of hardware versussoftware to effectuate specific functions is a design choice left to animplementer. More specifically, one of skill in the art can appreciatethat a software process can be transformed into an equivalent hardwarestructure, and a hardware structure can itself be transformed into anequivalent software process. Thus, the selection of a hardwareimplementation versus a software implementation is one of design choiceand left to the implementer.

Computing system 1420 comprises a computer 1441, which typicallyincludes a variety of computer readable media. Computer readable mediacan be any available media that can be accessed by computer 1441 andincludes both volatile and nonvolatile media, removable andnon-removable media. The system memory 1422 includes computer storagemedia in the form of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory such as readonly memory (ROM) 1423 and random access memory (RAM) 1460. A basicinput/output system 1424 (BIOS), containing the basic routines that helpto transfer information between elements within computer 1441, such asduring start-up, is typically stored in ROM 1423. RAM 1460 typicallycontains data and/or program modules that are immediately accessible toand/or presently being operated on by processing unit 1459. By way ofexample, and not limitation, FIG. 14 illustrates operating system 1425,application programs 1426, other program modules 1427, and program data1428.

The computer 1441 may also include other removable/non-removable,volatile/nonvolatile computer storage media. By way of example only,FIG. 14 illustrates a hard disk drive 1438 that reads from or writes tonon-removable, nonvolatile magnetic media, a magnetic disk drive 1439that reads from or writes to a removable, nonvolatile magnetic disk1454, and an optical disk drive 1440 that reads from or writes to aremovable, nonvolatile optical disk 1453 such as a CD ROM or otheroptical media. Other removable/non-removable, volatile/nonvolatilecomputer storage media that can be used in the exemplary operatingenvironment include, but are not limited to, magnetic tape cassettes,flash memory cards, digital versatile disks, digital video tape, solidstate RAM, solid state ROM, and the like. The hard disk drive 1438 istypically connected to the system bus 1421 through an non-removablememory interface such as interface 1434, and magnetic disk drive 1439and optical disk drive 1440 are typically connected to the system bus1421 by a removable memory interface, such as interface 1435.

The drives and their associated computer storage media discussed aboveand illustrated in FIG. 14, provide storage of computer readableinstructions, data structures, program modules and other data for thecomputer 1441. In FIG. 14, for example, hard disk drive 1438 isillustrated as storing operating system 1458, application programs 1457,other program modules 1456, and program data 1455. Note that thesecomponents can either be the same as or different from operating system1425, application programs 1426, other program modules 1427, and programdata 1428. Operating system 1458, application programs 1457, otherprogram modules 1456, and program data 1455 are given different numbershere to illustrate that, at a minimum, they are different copies. A usermay enter commands and information into the computer 1441 through inputdevices such as a keyboard 1451 and pointing device 1452, commonlyreferred to as a mouse, trackball or touch pad. Other input devices (notshown) may include a microphone, joystick, game pad, satellite dish,scanner, or the like. These and other input devices are often connectedto the processing unit 1459 through a user input interface 1436 that iscoupled to the system bus, but may be connected by other interface andbus structures, such as a parallel port, game port or a universal serialbus (USB). The cameras 226, 228 and capture device 120 may defineadditional input devices for the computing system 1420 that connect viauser input interface 1436. A monitor 1442 or other type of displaydevice is also connected to the system bus 1421 via an interface, suchas a video interface 1432. In addition to the monitor, computers mayalso include other peripheral output devices such as speakers 1444 andprinter 1443, which may be connected through a output peripheralinterface 1433. Capture Device 120 may connect to computing system 1420via output peripheral interface 1433, network interface 1437, or otherinterface.

The computer 1441 may operate in a networked environment using logicalconnections to one or more remote computers, such as a remote computer1446. The remote computer 1446 may be a personal computer, a server, arouter, a network PC, a peer device or other common network node, andtypically includes many or all of the elements described above relativeto the computer 1441, although only a memory storage device 1447 hasbeen illustrated in FIG. 14. The logical connections depicted include alocal area network (LAN) 1445 and a wide area network (WAN) 1449, butmay also include other networks. Such networking environments arecommonplace in offices, enterprise-wide computer networks, intranets andthe Internet.

When used in a LAN networking environment, the computer 1441 isconnected to the LAN 1445 through a network interface or adapter 1437.When used in a WAN networking environment, the computer 1441 typicallyincludes a modem 1450 or other means for establishing communicationsover the WAN 1449, such as the Internet. The modem 1450, which may beinternal or external, may be connected to the system bus 1421 via theuser input interface 1436, or other appropriate mechanism. In anetworked environment, program modules depicted relative to the computer1441, or portions thereof, may be stored in the remote memory storagedevice. By way of example, and not limitation, FIG. 14 illustratesapplication programs 1448 as residing on memory device 1447. It will beappreciated that the network connections shown are exemplary and othermeans of establishing a communications link between the computers may beused.

As explained above, the capture device 120 provides RGB images (alsoknown as color images) and depth images to the computing system 112. Thedepth image may be a plurality of observed pixels where each observedpixel has an observed depth value. For example, the depth image mayinclude a two-dimensional (2-D) pixel area of the captured scene whereeach pixel in the 2-D pixel area may have a depth value such as a lengthor distance in, for example, centimeters, millimeters, or the like of anobject in the captured scene from the capture device.

As mentioned above, skeletal tracking (ST) techniques are often used todetect motion of a user or other user behaviors. However, while usefulfor detecting certain types of user behaviors, ST techniques have provento be unreliable for detecting other types of user behavior. Forexample, ST techniques are typically unreliable for detecting userbehaviors where the user is laying or sitting on or near the floor.Certain embodiments described herein rely on depth images to detect userbehaviors. Such user behaviors detected based on depth base images canbe used in place of, or to supplement, ST techniques for detecting userbehaviors. Accordingly, before discussing such embodiments in additionaldetail, it would first be useful to provide additional details of depthimages.

Although the subject matter has been described in language specific tostructural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understoodthat the subject matter defined in the appended claims is notnecessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above.Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed asexample forms of implementing the claims.

1.-20. (canceled)
 21. A method of providing signals by way of a networkfrom a remote site to a local site where the provided signals areprovided in accordance with controls generated at the local site, themethod comprising: causing acquisition from sensors at the remote siteof first signals representing relatively rich information about realaspects of the remote site; causing processing at the remote site of thefirst signals representing the relatively rich information, the causedprocessing utilizing relatively rich signal processing resources presentat the remote site, the caused processing producing second signalsrepresenting relatively less rich information about real aspects of theremote site where the less rich information can be transmitted over thenetwork using less bandwidth than needed for transmitting the firstsignals representing the relatively rich information; causingtransmission of the less rich information over the network from theremote site to the local site; and causing transmission of controlsignals generated at the local site to the remote site, the transmittedcontrol signals controlling said processing at the remote site of thefirst signals.
 22. The method of claim 21 wherein the locally generatedcontrol signals include first and second local control signals, thefirst local control signals being configured to select an aspect of theremote processing that is to be controlled by the second local controlsignals.
 23. The method of claim 22 wherein the first local controlsignals are configured to select at least one of an audio processingaspect and a video processing aspect of the remote processing.
 24. Themethod of claim 23 wherein the audio processing aspect of the remoteprocessing that is selectable by the first local control signalsincludes processing of respective audio signals acquired from respectiveones of plural audio sensors among the sensors at the remote site. 25.The method of claim 24 wherein the audio processing aspect of the remoteprocessing that is selectable by the first local control signalsincludes audio array processing whereby an area of audio pickup focusmay be provided at the remote site.
 26. The method of claim 23 whereinthe first local control signals that are locally generated are derivedfrom first user gestures detected at the local site.
 27. The method ofclaim 26 wherein the detected first user gestures include gesturespointing to at least one of visual representations of sound sourcespresent at the remote site and visual representations of image sourcespresent at the remote site.
 28. The method of claim 23 wherein the videoprocessing aspect of the remote processing that is selectable by thefirst local control signals includes processing of respective imagesignals acquired from respective ones of plural image sensors among thesensors at the remote site.
 29. The method of claim 28 wherein theremotely acquired image signals include signals indicative of threedimensional (3D) aspects of imagery present at the remote site and thecontrolled processing includes remote processing of the 3D aspects ofthe imagery present at the remote site.
 30. The method of claim 29wherein the remote processing of the 3D aspects of the imagery presentat the remote site includes control of image brightness based on depthof the remote image sources.
 31. A machine system configured to providesignals by way of a network from a remote site to a local site where theprovided signals are provided in accordance with controls generated atthe local site, the machine system comprising: remote sensors disposedat the remote site and configured to produce first signals representingrelatively rich information about real aspects of the remote site; oneor more processors disposed at the remote site and configured to processat the remote site the first signals representing the relatively richinformation, wherein the processing by remotely disposed one or moreprocessors includes relatively rich signal processing and productiontherefrom of second signals representing relatively less richinformation about real aspects of the remote site where the less richinformation can be transmitted over the network using less bandwidththan needed for transmitting the first signals representing therelatively rich information; a network interface transmitter disposed atthe remote site and configured to transmit the less rich informationover the network from the remote site to the local site; and a networkinterface receiver disposed at the remote site and configured to receivecontrol signals generated at the local site, the received controlsignals controlling said processing by the one or more processors at theremote site of the first signals.
 32. The machine system of claim 31wherein: the received control signals include first and second controlsignals generated at the local site, the first received control signalsbeing configured to select an aspect of the processing at the remotesite that is to be controlled by the second received control signals.33. The machine system of claim 32 wherein the first received controlsignals are configured to select at least one of an audio processingaspect and a video processing aspect of the processing at the remotesite.
 34. The machine system of claim 33 wherein the audio processingaspect that is selectable by the first received control signals includesprocessing of respective audio signals acquired from respective ones ofplural audio sensors among the sensors disposed at the remote site. 35.The machine system of claim 34 wherein the audio processing aspect ofthe remote processing that is selectable by the first received controlsignals includes audio array processing whereby an area of audio pickupfocus may be provided at the remote site.
 36. The machine system ofclaim 33 and further comprising: one or more gesture detectors disposedat the local site and configured to detect user gestures made at thelocal site; wherein the first received control signals that are locallygenerated are derived from first user gestures detected at the localsite by the one or more gesture detectors.
 37. The machine system ofclaim 36 and further comprising: a display disposed at the local siteand configured to display at least one of visual representations ofsound sources present at the remote site and visual representations ofimage sources present at the remote site; wherein the detected firstuser gestures include gestures pointing to at least one of displayedvisual representations of the sound sources present at the remote siteand of the visual representations of image sources present at the remotesite.
 38. The machine system of claim 33 wherein: the video processingaspect of the processing at the remote site that is selectable by thefirst received control signals includes processing of respective imagesignals acquired from respective ones of plural image sensors among thesensors at the remote site; and the image signals acquired at the remotesite include signals indicative of three dimensional (3D) aspects ofimagery present at the remote site and the controlled processingincludes remote processing of the 3D aspects of the imagery present atthe remote site.
 39. One or more processor readable storage deviceshaving instructions encoded thereon which when executed cause one ormore processors to perform a method of providing signals by way of anetwork from a remote site to a local site where the provided signalsare provided in accordance with controls generated at the local site,the method comprising: causing acquisition from sensors at the remotesite of first signals representing relatively rich information aboutreal aspects of the remote site; causing processing at the remote siteof the first signals representing the relatively rich information, thecaused processing utilizing relatively rich signal processing resourcespresent at the remote site, the caused processing producing secondsignals representing relatively less rich information about real aspectsof the remote site where the less rich information can be transmittedover the network using less bandwidth than needed for transmitting thefirst signals representing the relatively rich information; causingtransmission of the less rich information over the network from theremote site to the local site; and causing transmission of controlsignals generated at the local site to the remote site, the transmittedcontrol signals controlling said processing at the remote site of thefirst signals.
 40. The processor readable storage devices of claim 39wherein the locally generated control signals include first and secondlocal control signals, the first local control signals being configuredto select an aspect of the remote processing that is to be controlled bythe second local control signals.